Belgium has granted sex workers the same employment rights as other sectors, including health insurance, pensions, maternity leave, and paid vacations. The new law, enacted on Sunday, also provides labor protections, ensuring safe working conditions, and addresses long-term financial security, setting a European benchmark for worker rights.
Belgium has made a historic move by granting sex workers employment rights, including health insurance, pensions, maternity leave, and paid vacations. Passed in May and enacted on Sunday, the legislation allows workers to sign formal contracts, ensuring access to critical benefits. This law builds on Belgium’s 2022 decriminalization of sex work, which also redefined pimping.
Sex workers now have the right to refuse clients and set terms for their work. Employers must meet stringent requirements, including background checks and maintaining clean, safe working conditions. The law prohibits dismissing workers who refuse clients or certain acts, creating a safer work environment.
The legislation also provides long-term security by offering pensions and unemployment benefits, addressing financial instability that previously forced workers to work beyond pregnancy or retirement age.
Belgium's new law has been hailed as a revolution, praised by advocates like Isabelle Jaramillo, who sees it as legitimizing sex work. However, critics argue that the law doesn’t fully address the challenges faced by undocumented sex workers. Despite this, the move represents a significant step toward improving conditions and creating more equitable protections for sex workers, potentially setting a precedent for other countries to follow.
